Rhythm of Love: In conversation with Mhathung Odyuo

The Passionate Mhathung Odyuo is a multitalented artist, from mastering his main instrument his Voice to an array of wood and string instruments, he is an unstoppable musical force. Read on to learn about his musical journey and the many accolades he has achieved through his dedication and hard work.

Read to know more about the artiste

Eastern Mirror: An introduction for those who have not heard of you yet

Mhathung Odyuo: My name is Mhathung Odyuo. I did my high school from Don Bosco School, Wokha and did my Bachelor of Commerce from Shillong Commerce College. Voice is my main instrument but I also play wood and string instruments – Cello, Violin, Flute, Recorder, Clarinet and Saxophone.

Eastern Mirror: What is your musical background? Talk us through your journey.

Mhathung Odyuo: Being brought up in a Christian state and home, music was not an unknown topic. As I grew up I started to sing in a choir and that is where I got interested in music. Also from a very young age my mom sent me and my brother to learn guitar but I failed to learn guitar as it was not my cup of tea. My mom wanted us to learn guitar but not to become a musician.

After my class 10 I went to Shillong to pursue my studies and I started to work in a fellowship and every year we had NCF Musical day and in our tribe I had to lead the choir and that is where my interest in music developed more. In 2008, after completing my Graduation in Commerce, I went to South India Chennai for music studies, and that is where my actual music journey started.

At one occasion after working at an event at Golden Crown Theological College, my Uncle director Nzan Odyuo, asked me about my future plans, and when I told him that I gave up my plan for further studies, he introduced me to Church music studies at Singapore and by God’s grace I applied and I got accepted and completed my Masters in Church music majoring in Voice.

Eastern Mirror: How would you describe your style of music?

Mhathung Odyuo: My style is purely western classical and I love singing operas, Art songs, arias, etc.

Eastern Mirror: Your first stage performance. And what was the experience like?

Mhathung Odyuo: My first stage performance was during my college days at Shillong. During those performances, something funny happened out of nervousness, I blew the pitch pipe but did not get the right pitch, and so there are times the song will become higher or lower. Today, I look back and see God’s faithfulness and provision in my life.

Eastern Mirror: Your personal view on the present music scenario of Nagaland.

Mhathung Odyuo: Our Nagas are progressing a lot in the music scenario, and I think the society has also started to accept being a musician as a profession, and realised that people can earn a living through it. Earlier during my stay at Chennai I met a few of our Naga parents who brought their children for engineering studies and when they learnt that I am doing music, they looked down on me and did not have respect for my choice of profession.

Now, I am amazed at our younger generation, the future musicians are really doing well and coming up in all genres- beat boxing, classical, rap, contemporary etc.

We Nagas are extremely talented and gifted in music so we should continue to venture in music field and invest more time in practicing.

Eastern Mirror: If you could change anything about the music industry in Nagaland, what would it be?

Mhathung Odyuo:  Everything seems to be alright, but if I have to change something in the music industry at Nagaland, it will be to bring all the different genres of music under one umbrella. Currently, I see that the classical musicians seem to be in different direction and the contemporary at a different direction. To my knowledge even the musician award are all or mostly given to contemporary musicians. My opinion is if we give importance to all the different genres of music then there will be more progress in all the genres and styles of music.

And I don’t want other states labelling the Nagas as only good in guitar or in contemporary singing – which what I mostly heard from the other states of India. I will rather like to hear Nagas are good in music (irrespective of Genre)

Eastern Mirror: What are the challenges and rewards that come from working as a musician?

Mhathung Odyuo: Well, for me there were a lot of challenges to become a musician, first of all I am the only musician at home which makes it challenging to convince my parents to let me go into music profession. Another challenge is getting the instruments and as my interest was in woodwinds and strings instruments I had a hard time getting those instruments.

But the biggest challenge was the financial part since these instruments are very expensive and finance always slows me down and I had to wait patiently and save money to get what I need. Above all, my craziness in different instruments was the most challenging, every time I am not satisfied – which makes me want to add new instruments to my collection and new instruments means more money and after buying I also have to practice.

A priceless reward of working as a musician is seeing our students grow and them wanting to become musicians. Also, people’s life getting touched through our music performance.

Eastern Mirror: If given a chance to perform with a musician, who would you choose and why?

Mhathung Odyuo: I will like perform duet with Jonas Kaufmann, because he is the leading Operatic tenor singer and I want to hear and feel the Dramatic tenor voice in real life, and it will also be a good learning exposure to keep growing.

Eastern Mirror: What inspires you and what makes you want to keep promoting music?

Ngathung Odyuo: When I hear good music it inspires me. But even mor than that what inspires me the most is seeing different instruments in an orchestra, and watching classical/opera singers perform. This makes me want to learn those instruments and introduce it to our people, as I see our people lacking in orchestra instruments and in classical singing.

Eastern Mirror:  Please cite some of your achievements.

Mhathug Odyuo: Seizing the opportunity from online vocal competition since Covid Lockdown, I won 5 international competitions- First Prize Vocal Open Age Category in the 37 International Music Competition Organised by Malaysia Chopin Society 2020, and three awards in the International Music Competitions Atlanta, USA-2021.

Won 2nd Prize in Classical Voice Professional Category at the International Art Competition Art Rogaska- 2021 (Solvenia- Austria), 3rd Prize in Opera Voice Professional Category at International Viennese Spring Music Competition- 2021, and was awarded the the Classical Voice Semi Finalist Professional Division in the Progressive Musicians Festival Competition 2021 (Lancaster, NY).

Eastern Mirror: Any message for your students/fans/audience.

Mhathung Odyuo: Always stay focused on your dreams no matter what the circumstances are, and don’t be scared to dream big, because the bigger you dream, the harder you work. Always be prepared and keep practicing because opportunity will come any time, “it is better to be prepare and not have opportunity then having an opportunity and not being prepared”.